La Belle D'Air
by Everything-In-Focus-94
Summary: FIRST CABIN PRESSURE FIC! Gosh, I love this show! So this is an early valentines day fic, featuring the unlucky in love Captain Creif and a beautiful passenger on the way to Rome. Could his luck be about to change? With Douglas around, probably not...
1. Chapter 1: Goodness Grief, Captain Creif

La Belle D'Air

Goodness Grief, Captain Creif

The woman shifted arching her back and stretching her neck as she looked out of the window onto the tarmac on the ground. A light spattering of rain continued to hit the gigantic metal wings, dripping slowly into a growing puddle on the floor below. She sighed her eyes flickering to the man who was checking his wristwatch in the aisle besides hers, giving her full view of the time. 12.24-5.

"And... another hour late" she muttered, in a mildly annoyed but mainly bored tone. Reaching once more for her book, she placed her reading glasses back onto her face, pushing them further up her nose and opening her book to its marked placed. She crossed her skirted legs, aware that the man's attention had been captured, the man's gaze travelling upwards as he watched transfixed as they cross over themselves, pushing the tight pencil skirt upwards and revealing more of the elegant tanned limb. His eyes travelled upwards, freezing as she caught him with an inquisitive but stony glare. Her hazel eyes dared him to remain staring at her. He lost his bottle within seconds, returning his attention to his slightly overweight wife who was complaining loudly in the seat beside him, unaware of the woman who had commandeered her husband's attention in the last few minutes.

There was movement at the front of the plane. The woman peered over the seat, straightening her back and flicking her hair over her shoulder. There appeared to be an argument occurring in the section between the cockpit and the plane cabin.

"You need to learn how to do the safety drill properly... I'm retiring in the next year and I don't think the passengers will take too lightly to the chief steward calling his mum and asking her for instructions... Now get the hell out there and wait for Douglas!" a female voice hissed from behind the curtain, flinging them open and pushing a slightly pale man forward into the cabin. In a moment every single pair of eyes in the cabin was locked on him.

He gaped gazing up at the intercom, visibly regaining colour in relief as it bonged, and crackling into life. He raised his arms, fixing a reassuring smile on his face; his relief however was short lived.

_"Ladies *crackle* man. Welcome *crackle* N air. This is Captai *crackle* Richar- *crackle* say *crackle* fixed? Bloody *crackle* ane. *Always going wrong it's a damned miracle it hasn't dropped from the sky- DOUGLAS! Intercom!_" a high and angry voice interjected as the crash of the cockpits door echoed through the intercom into the cabin. There was an awkward silence in the room, everyone paled and panicked looking around the plane for the nearest escape. The intercom bonged again, the only other noise from it a slightly whisper of 'oh nuts'.

The bamboozled young man at the front of the aisle, paled visibly once more. The passengers began to gossip amongst themselves, the high pitch of their chatter revealing the nervousness. His eyes shifted from each aisle, each passenger, and their eyes turning upwards and locking at him for comfort and finding a man frozen, his arms still raised in a comical manner, the only part of him moving his terrified eyes.

He shifted from foot to foot, his arms slowly lowering as he realised that they were indeed attached to his body. Every single pair of eyes in the room bar the hazel ones in the corner followed the limb's path downwards, stopping when it did, staring at the clenched fist that the man had made at his side.

Blue eyes continued to flash around the cabin, settling on the woman who had placed her book on the unoccupied seat beside her. He watched as she slowly released the clip holding her hair into a neat pony tail. She shook her hair out, allowing it to tumble haphazardly around her shoulders, before placing her reading glasses lightly on her glossy, mane of long shiny hair.

A soft smile appeared on her lips as she locked eyes on the man who was standing watching her. It turned into a heart rendering smile that reached directly into those stunning eyes, making the golden flecks in them dance and glimmer and in turn making the man's stomach harden.

His fist began to unclench, and he raised one hand to his mouth clearing his throat and simultaneously gaining the proper attention of the cabin. He fixed them with a professional stare, standing a little straighter, linking his hands behind his back to make sure that they didn't see them shaking. They returned the stare, their accusing eyes never leaving the man's face.

"_Ladies... *_ahem* Ladies and Gentleman, we appear to be having technical issues with our pilots intercom. I will go and check on the matter and will return with news as soon as I can. May I also apologize on the matter of the small delay..." "3 bloody hours! I want to get to Italy for Valentine's Day" a man's rough cockney accent interjected. The young man stared him down.

"As I was saying sir, there have been unforeseen circumstances that no one at MJN air could have avoided." he continued, mentally reminding himself that the reason was that his mum had been unsure that Gertie could have taken the pounding she would have in that heavy rain. It would have been a slight disaster if the only plane, captain, first officer and steward in the airline went down in the same accident, _because of rain_.

"I will get back to you on this matter as soon as is possible thank you" he said quickly before the cockney man had a chance to start up again. He made a slight incline of his head to the passengers, his eyes seeking out the hazel eyed woman momentarily as he turned to walk into the cockpit.

Arthur slammed the door of the cockpit to ensure that none of the loud argument that was raging inside reached the already panicked passengers on the other side. He leant against the door breathing heavily; sweat pouring down his face, his eyes closed in relief. The three people in the room continued to bicker, their voices becoming louder and high as tempers rose.

"You said you were captain- scared the passengers half to death- you are not captain- they could use a bit of authority- she won't fall out of the sky- who is the captain in this cockpit- may I remind you who people think is captain- you insulted Gertie! She's old but a good one- makes no difference, I am captain on this plane- why did you let him say he is captain Martin?- yes _why_ did you let me Martin?- don't you turn this onto me Carolyn, I was in the toilet before the flight and he grabbed the intercom! Why did you feel the need to address the cabin, Douglas? Insecure about being outranked by a man so much younger that you?" the youngest man span red faced and got right in the face of the older man. The elder man reddened and made a noise like a jested cat with something in its throat.

"Martin... you are a captain yes, on an _airline _with one plane, and you work for no wage... Am I the insecure one?" he said sarcastically, an eyebrow twitching on his face daring to arch. The younger man faltered, a low growl echoing at the back of his throat.

"_Even_..._ so_... Douglas. I am the captain on this plane, you do not make the announcements without my permission, may I remind you that you just terrified a whole plane full of passengers mere minutes before takeoff?" he said softly, his voice and tone appearing to be caring but his face thunderous.

"Not the whole plane actually" Arthur piped up from the corner, his breathing now returning to a regular rate and the colour returning to his face.

"Shut up Arthur!" his mother snapped. He did so.

"Martin... I apologize. I should not have made the announcement, I'll admit. But you have to admit it would have gone fine if Carolyn would have shelled out to fix the damn intercom!" he said rounding on the woman in the room, only a step away from pointing a finger accusingly at her. She spluttered.

"Douglas! I would have fixed the intercom if you had told me..." she said her face fixed into fake shock but her eyes looking guilty. Martin took a step forward.

"Carolyn, we did tell you. Three times, but because we were only doing cargo flights all week you said it didn't matter. But you said it would be fixed by today." He said crossing his arms over his chest in a steely manner. Douglas copied the action behind the captains back, for once offering moral support to the young man and not taking the mickey out of him. Carolyn faltered and started.

"Well... you.. see... Oh Douglas! It was a ridiculous amount for a new intercom... I've ordered a pre-used one but it wasn't ready on account that it needed to be put back together... It'll be here tomorrow and you said it didn't always happen... And I thought you wouldn't notice!" she muttered, her face peering sourly out of short light blonde hair.

"Well evidently we did... and now I've scared the living daylights out of the whole plane... This is going to be a fun trip." Douglas growled sarcastically, turning his back on his embarrassed and flustered boss.

"I keep telling you it wasn't the whole plane!" Arthur groaned. Three sets of eyes turned and looked at him inquisitively and confused.

"What are you on about Arthur?" Carolyn said, in a tone that she reserved for her beloved but admittedly dim-witted son. Douglas sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I believe he means that I didn't scare ourselves with visions of the plane propelling madly to a fiery end... although now it seems I have scared you Carolyn" he smiled a cold smile before frowning as his eyes rested on Arthur who was shaking his head furiously in the corner.

"No... no, Douglas! There was a woman in 22D, she didn't seem scared at all." He beamed thinking about the woman's lips stretching into that warm smile that had given him the confidence to stand up and speak to the cabin.

Martin sighed looking at the bemused expression on Arthur's young face.

"Arthur... she was probably just as scared as the rest of them, she was just better at hiding it-"No skip! She was honestly fine; I've never seen such a calm looking passing-... The passengers are still out there aren't they?" he muttered looking aghast. They all looked at the suddenly not so silent cabin encased behind the metal door. Carolyn fixed them all with a stony look and gave a not so subtly gesture to fix this as she scuttled out of the cabin and into the cabin.

"BING BONG *crrrrrck* _Ladies and Gentleman... This is Captain Crieff speaking."_

The woman looked up from her book once more, tilting the single ear bud from her ear. A new voice as soft and smooth as velvet was filtering through the crackly, faint but defiantly working intercom. But the airline and their problems with minor systems on the airplane no-longer fascinated her; it was to find a face to go with that pleasant clipped voice.

"_I would like to apologise for my First Officers outburst earlier, as acting Captain he felt it necessary to make the announcement and ummm... let's just say that you ever heard things that were said in anger at the planes intercom system, which thankfully has now been momentarily fixed. We will continue with our flight to Rome in 10 minutes after Arthur has run you through the safety measures, we apologize once more for the inconvenience and the misjudgement from earlier. Thank you.*crrrk*_BONG_" _

The young man from before had appeared at the front of the airplane frowned up at the intercom above his head.

"Huh... no bing" he muttered to himself before turning and doing the safety instructions.


	2. Chapter 2: Let The Bet Commence

Let The Bet Commence

"Yes, Arthur?" Martin muttered, rubbing his eyes as the intercom chirped in a very Arthury way, Martin swore that the noise sounded different when Carolyn called him.

"It's that woman again skip! She's reading your book!" Arthur said excitedly over the phone. Martin cast an eye over the book he had abandoned mere moments ago to pick up the phone. He snorted self righteously.

"Arthur... I sincerely doubt that a passenger on an MJN flight would be reading War and Peace even one going on a trip to a place as cultured as Italy." Martin snapped, switching his headset of leaving Arthur sighing sadly behind him. Martin rubbed his face, pinching the skin between his brown and groaning. Douglas regarded him from the Captain's seat from the corner of his eye.

"Problem Martin?" he asked his voice sincere but his motives obviously not.

"Yes Douglas... I have had no sleep in the last 3 days because my neurotic sister left her even more neurotic daughter around my house, I quote so she could have a rest. She failed to mention the kid climbs into your bed at night and snuggles up against you, without warning... I spent 3 nights on the sofa watching re-runs of Top Gear and Mock The Week on Dave" he moaned, his face still in his hands."

"And now Arthur's harpering on about some girl he's met on the plane, who apparently is reading Tolstoy in the Cabin." He snapped. Douglas snorted, pressing a button on the side of the plane.

"Yes like that would happen... Hello Paris, Golf-Tango-India requesting the weather for arrival in Rome.. Over" he said into his headset. The two men sat in wait, fingers crossed as the waited for the radio operator to radio back.

"_Golf-Tango-India this is Paris. Skies are clear in Rome, the sun is shining, I hope you packed your sun cream... Over"_ The reply came back from a woman with a heavy French accent, giggling at her poor joke. The two men punched the air joyfully.

"Golf-Tango-India to Paris. Thank you my dear you are clearly an angel of good news to bring us this in the light of our 4 days off. I only wish that you were here with us for the day of St. Valentines... Over." Douglas chatted, receiving a giggle from the other end.

_"Paris to Golf-Tango-India. I would like that... it's raining most terribly here, it seems you English have sent us your weather. Over and out."_ She laughed signing off the signal. Douglas smiled to himself aware of the stare that Martin was giving him. He let it linger for a few moments before mock pretending to notice he was there.

"How do you do it Douglas?" Martin said mesmerised. The chirping of Arthur began again. Both men ignored it.

"How do I *chirp* do what *chirp* Martin?" Douglas said smoothly. Martin gestured to the radio.

"That! *chirp* The French woman, I could never *chirp* speak to a woman *chirp* like that and so *chirp* coolly. Will you shut up!" he said shouting at the phone that was making the offending noise. It practically stared at him for a moment before giving yet another resounding chirp. Martin groaned, causing Douglas to chuckle beside him.

"I'm not *chirp* answering it. No I mean *chirp* you have this *chirp* way with women *chirp* I could never *chirp* get them." He muttered, giving the phone a stony look daring it to make another noise.

"I don't know Martin. I've just always had a way with women since I was a young man... animal attraction and all that, me being the alpha male. It's all the same to women, they either go for one type of man or another, theirs me *chirp* the alpha male that women *chirp* simply fall over backwards for *chirp* some reason and then *chirp* there's the lovable idiot *chirp* that they can laugh at *chirp* and spend time with *chirp* as a friend before realising *chirp* they love them... one of them is currently chirping at us. You unfortunately do not fall into either category." He said simply.

Martin gaped a frown appearing on his brown.

"I- I could be *chirp* an alpha male!" he protested sticking his muscular chest out. Douglas regarded him.

"You have *chirp* the build certainly but *chirp* looks and personality *chirp* wise... no chance *chirp* I'm afraid. You're more *chirp* likely to fit into *chirp*that bumbling idiot type *chirp* that women *chirp* seem to avoid like *chirp* the plague. Shame mate" Douglas said clapping his colleague on the back. Martin stared at the colleague, riled at his shameless attack on him. Taking all his anger out on the headset, he flung it over his head and clicked the button upwards. A breath came through the phone, but Martin cut over it.

"WHAT NOW ARTHUR! LET ME QUESS THE WOMAN HAS DECIDED THAT SHE HAS FALLEN IN LOVE WITH YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE CUTE IDIOT THAT WOMEN LIKE NOT THE BUMBLING IDIOT LIKE ME! OR HAS SHE DECIDED TO RECITE THE WORKS OF SHAKESPEARE? OR IS SHE DOING A CAN-CAN DOWN THE AISLE OF THE PLANE TO CELEBRATE LEAVING PARIS BECAUSE SHORT OF THOSE EVENTS HAPPENING I REALLY COULDN'T CARE LESS!" he breathed heavily, listening to the shocked silence on the other end. The speaker crackled as the person cleared their throat.

"I thought it would be polite of me to solve this problem that you and Arthur have been having the last hour or so. I was planning on doing this over the phone but now I would quite like to sort this out in person." Said a definite female voice, slamming the phone down almost as harshly as he had picked it up.

Martin stayed with the phone in his hand for a moment, registering what had just happened.

"That went well then..." Douglas laughed. Martin turned on him his face stony, but with an evil gleam in his eye, seeing the matching headset that Douglas had placed over his head. He had heard the whole thing.

"I have a proposition... a bet." He tested. Douglas raised his eyebrows and turned to face Martin head on.

"You... want to... bet... with me?" he said confused. Martin nodded, a smile filtering across his face.

"I've just made that woman _very _angry... You reckon the _alpha male _can charm her when she comes in here in a minute?" he asked, tilting his head teasingly. Douglas scowled holding out his hand.

"Wait we haven't said terms... what do you want- oh no" Douglas interjected, shaking his head. "This is a matter of pride"

"So you reckon you can charm her? Even if she's as strange the ones Arthur normally gets infatuated with? You can get her number before I can? You're on..." They clasped hands as there was a loud knock on the tin door. Martin smirked, envisioning the girl. Douglas paled as he obviously did the same thing.

"Hang on its locked!" Martin shouted springing from his seat. He flung open the door facing Arthur and his companion head on. The smile melted from his face, appearing on Douglas's now smug one.


	3. Chapter 3: War

War

"Are you the- oh..." the woman whispered as she stared up in the shocked face of the man before her. He wasn't overly tall, but had a good few inches on her in heels, was a couple of years older than her, with pale almost glowing skin and captains epaulets on his broad shoulders. He was down staring at her with the same mix of confusion and shock.

"Urm-oh-yes. Come in..." he stammered holding the door open. She ducked under his arm, subconsciously breathing in his scent as she passed in close proximity to his body. He smelt like a woody aftershave and apples. Arthur remained outside, turning his back and returning to the passengers with a small triumphant smile on his face.

"You must be-"Martin began, faltering as the woman span in the small space, finding her body pressed exceedingly close to his. She flushed clearing her own throat, as they both looked away awkwardly, trying to find room to manoeuvre themselves away from the other in anyway possible.

"Ye- yes ... I'm, I'm"- words were failing her as she stared up into the handsome face of the young pilot.

"Belle... My mother was French." She managed to stammer out. Martin smiled and gazed deeply into the woman's enchanting hazel eyes.

"Your parent's had the right idea my dear. Belle... mean's beauty does it not?" Douglas quipped from the corner. Both jumped as they were jolted out of their daze. She blinked, smiling the man.

"Yes.. yes it does mean beauty. La Belle et la Bete and all that... My parents had a funny sense of humour, I was an extremely ugly baby, more of a beast than a beauty." She smirked, thinking of her loving but mental late parents.

"Well, the jokes certainly on them now-" Martin whispered without really thinking about what he was saying. Belle's eyes met his and a soft smile appeared on her lips. Douglas looked at the two shocked. Was Martin successfully flirting? And with a woman like that?

"Thank you- Martin" he interjected, holding out his hand. However Belle reached upwards lightly kissing him on the cheek, Martin stumped managing to right himself and do the traditional air kiss with the _European ( _he now reminded himself) woman. He didn't even manage a smirk as Douglas only got a single kiss on one cheek.

Settling herself on the seat that was usually occupied by Carolyn, Belle smoothed her tight skirt over her legs, blissfully unaware of both the men's eyes on her as she looked around the cabin. Martin span, clicking the plane onto auto-pilot as both men looked at the woman who had appeared in their cabin.

Long glossy hair in a deep brown colour almost verging on black, with a beautifully feminine face with practically no sharp edges. Her skin was a gently tanned colour, all natural genetics as she had mentioned her European roots. And as she turned, the same wide smile on her lips, they were both transfixed by her beautiful green eyes and their dancing golden flecks.

"I've never been inside a cockpit before" she said, looking around the room once more. Martin chuckled lightly, turning around in his chair to face the woman fully.

"Well it loses its appeal after a few goes, especially in a plane-" he faltered in his words as she arched an eyebrow at him. Douglas glared from beside him.

"I get what you mean" she smiled. "My boss isn't exactly known for his generosity when he sends his employees out of the country, no offence or anything but this flight must have been cheap or he wouldn't have sent me on it." Martin sighed in relief.

"So you're going out of the country for business?" he asked, immediately regretting his question as the eyebrow was arched at him again. She looked down at her clothes, tugging slightly at her skirt to cover her legs.

"Well, I don't dress like this normally if that's what you mean- but to answer your question yes, but I chose to go out here on this day. I meeting some people in Italy tomorrow" she said, pausing for a thought. Martin's smile faltered for a moment.

"Boyfriend?" he asked. She peered up at him, her eyes wide for a moment. She then burst into peals of laughter.

"Boyfriend? That's a joke- like I have a boyfriend... where would I meet one? Work? One of the perverts who stare at my legs in the office?" she giggled, her laughter tinkling around the small room.

"No- no- not a boyfriend. It's my cousins wedding in Rome, tomorrow, on Valentine's Day- romantic huh?" she said sarcastically. Martin raised his eyebrows, doing a little jig inside his mind over the fact that she was single.

"To be truthful, I sometimes wish I was dating one of the office perverts anything to get my aunty off my back" she said, her face falling drastically.

"I'm sure she's probably got about 10 different men lined up- all of them about 10-20 years older than me and totally inappropriate" she muttered, into her lap. She turned back to Martin as if she only just realized that he was there. Douglas had spun in his chair, pretending to sort something out on the dashboard, but was secretly watching the pair from the corner of his eye. For once the bet was forgotten, if for the sake of their team if nothing else, he didn't think that Martin would appreciate him chatting the girl up when he clearly liked her.

"What about you... Martin wasn't it- any plans with your wife, girlfriend, or will you be working?" she asked. Martin shook his head.

"Nope- no plans because I am indeed working, we'll be in Rome all day- all weekend in fact" he said simply. Belle's face fell slightly; she let out a slight "oh" of breath. She got to her feet sharply, face flushing furiously and flustered.

"Well... in that case I better be going- we'll be arriving in Rome soon and you can't have passengers in the cock pit- but of course you know that because your pilots. So I better- um... go. Bye- bye lovely to meet you Douglas-" she paused for a moment, looking back at a confused Martin who was still sitting shell shocked at her sudden outburst.

"You too Martin" she whispered, that rabbit caught in the headlights look upon her face for another single moment before she ran from the tiny room. Martin stared at the slowly closing door for a moment.

"You complete idiot- " Douglas whispered. Martin span in his chair and faced the older man.

"What? What did I- oh..." he said as the penny dropped.

"She thinks I have a- "Yes Martin- she does." Douglas nodded, his eyes closed and running a hand over his eyes.

"All because I didn't correct her?" he said, his voice rising in his panic. Douglas sighed and clicked the plane back into their control

"You _really_ don't understand women do you?" Douglas murmured, shaking his head in disbelief. Martin didn't reply, he was pondering whether it would be deemed unprofessional for a pilot to chase a passenger through his own plane whilst it was flying.


End file.
